Police managed to bust two drug dealers after a shoplifter unwittingly led detectives to cocaine den.
Officers turned up to search the house in Merthyr Tydfil after a thief had been caught nicking from a clothes shop in the town.
Police arrived expecting to find stolen goods - but instead stumbled upon more than £10,000 worth of crack cocaine.
During the search, officers also seized cash and other drug paraphernalia.
Police's unexpected visit came as something of a shock to Jordan Donaghue, 28, and Samuel Thomas, 31 - who were later charged with possession with intent of a class A drug.
The pair were subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
Detective Constable Tom Evans, of the Priority Policing Team, said: “It certainly wasn’t what we were expecting to find, but we’ll always take a little luck in the fight against drugs.
“It was a sizeable amount of crack cocaine and I’m in no doubt these pair were significant suppliers in the area.
“Crack cocaine is highly addictive, it causes psychosis, and brings misery upon users and their families."
Both men were sentenced at Merthyr Crown Court on November 12.
Donaghue, of Mitchell Crescent, Merthyr Tydfil was jailed for three years and Thomas, of Fifth Avenue, Galon Uchaf, Merthyr Tydfil, was jailed for four years.
Detective Evans added: "The suffering inflicted by these two men is undoubted and now they will spend Christmas in prison which is where they belong.
“And rest assured that any profits they’ve made from the sale of drugs, we’ll aim to seize under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”
